


The one with the hunters

by porrayra



Series: t.h.i.a.m. bits [6]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Good Theo Raeken, Hurt Liam Dunbar, Hurt Theo Raeken, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mason Hewitt Saves The Day, Pre-Relationship, Protective Liam Dunbar, Protective Theo Raeken, Theo Raeken is Liam Dunbar's Anchor, Werewolf Hunters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24805588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/porrayra/pseuds/porrayra
Summary: Two months after the end of the war, the hunters are back in Beacon Hills looking for Liam, but Theo finds them first.
Relationships: Corey Bryant/Mason Hewitt, Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Series: t.h.i.a.m. bits [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775599
Comments: 41
Kudos: 159





	1. Rest day

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, I went crazy with power here. It was supposed to be just another short one shot, but I really wanted to explore the story, so it ended up a lot bigger than anticipated. I hope you like it!

Theo glanced at the clock on the car's panel. 10 pm. The tension on his aching muscles suddenly catches his attention. He hadn't realized how tired he was. Sigh. Another day spent looking for hunters as an excuse to ignore his feelings.

It's Saturday. It used to be a day like any other until he moved into Liam's house. Now it means 24 hours under the same roof, dealing with his new, unfamiliar emotions towards the boy.

Except 'new' isn't the right word to describe it. It started months ago after Liam brought him back from the ground. As if Kira's sword hadn't opened only a rift to a world of eternal damnation, but also managed to burst the emotional dam in his chest.

So far, Theo managed to hide it poorly. It's clear to anyone with eyes — everyone, except the two of them — he'd do anything for Liam. And if it was hard to ignore it before, now his emotions were all over the place. 

Sharing a house with so many mixed feelings in between was confusing. Were they eating together because it would be strange not to, or because they wanted each other's company? Were they friends, allies, former enemies, roommates, all of those or none of the above?

" _People only feel one emotion at a time._ " He remembered himself and wished it was true because this strange pull/push impulse was tearing him apart. How could Liam be so drawing yet so repelling?

Theo drove with these thoughts in mind, somehow ending up at school. He'd followed a trail that probably wouldn't lead to anything — like all of the others. His phone buzzed on the passenger seat, a message from Liam. " _Any luck_?"

Theo stared at the bright screen, thinking about how natural it is to get texts from Liam now. " _Nope._ " He typed quickly before continuing. " _It's a rest day. They must be resting._ "

The reply came fast. " _Not really how it works._ " Theo grinned, imagining Liam rolling his eyes while typing. " _Can you pick me up at Mason's when heading home?_ "

Theo was about to send an affirmative answer when he noticed something was off.

Why there are heartbeats inside the school on a Saturday night?

Focusing his hearing, Theo caught a conversation not too far from where he was parked.

"He's here, but without the beta."

"Don't worry." Someone responded with a hint of malice on the tone. "If we catch one, the other will show up."

A strange wave of relief washed over Theo when he remembered that Liam didn't know where he was. He erased the unsent message and typed again. " _Can't do. I won't be home tonight. Don't look for me._." 

With that, he stepped out of the car and got ready to fight.

-

"What a dick," Liam tossed his phone to the side. 

Corey and Mason exchanged looks before directing their gaze to Liam, silently asking what was going on.

"Theo won't give me a ride, says he won't be home tonight. I mean, he has my mom's car."

"Oh, I'm sure your problem with all of this is your mom's car." Mason chuckled. "You can crash over. Just chill, dude."

"I'm chilling. I'm totally chill." But that wasn't true. Something was bugging Liam, and he couldn't ignore it. "Don't you guys think that's odd? He always sleeps at home. And 'don't look for me'? Why would I go out looking for him?"

Pausing the game they were playing, Corey groaned. "Liam has a point. It's not like Theo is the most skilled person when it comes to social interactions. He's hiding something."

Mason rolled his eyes, annoyed. Theo was still a sensitive topic to him. "Excuse me! I'm pretty sure he's capable of taking care of himself. And interact socially, for that matter. Actually, he does it so well that Liam forgot a thing or two about him, like murder and stuff."

"I didn't-" Liam stopped talking when it hit him. "He was out looking for hunters. What if something happened?"

"Okay. Now you should call Theo." Corey said, with stress already exhaling his pores. Mason remained calm but agreed.

As Liam reached for his phone on the carpet, he felt a lump forming on his throat. Anxiety was already here, and wouldn't be leaving until he had his anchor with him again. He dialed.

" _Hi!_ " Theo's voice sounded happy as if he was giving one of his breathtaking grins. " _The old Theo can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, probably because he doesn't want to. Call me later._ " Voicemail. 

If Liam weren't busy getting concerned, he would've been laughing at the thought of Theo singing to Taylor Swift. He tried calling again, only to be greeted by the same message. As he went for the third try, his phone rang in his hands.

The name glowing on the screen made Liam's heart sank. He picked it up, but couldn't talk. The voice on the other side of the line was urgent and raspy as if she'd been screaming.

"Liam, where are you? Where's Theo?"

The boy felt his mouth dry. "Lydia, what's hap-"

"I heard his voice. It sounded like a cry." Her words were scratching Liam's guts, twisting his stomach. 

Liam swallowed with difficulty. "What was he saying?"

"He was calling for you. He said your name. He said: _Liam_."


	2. Manganese Heptoxide

It took over an hour for Liam to catch Theo's scent and track it to the school's parking lot. He stood there, in front of his mom's abandoned car, trying to read the chemosignals. Mostly anger, which worked as fuel to the maddened wolf fighting for control.

Liam squatted near a few drops of blood, recognizing its scent from previous fights. Theo's. A raged howl cut through the air, hurting Liam's throat, setting free his ire. But before he could storm into the hallways of BHHS, Mason called him firmly, getting his attention.

"Wait! I've got a plan." His voice was nervous yet steady. "Find Theo and then meet us in the chemistry lab. I think I can stall them so we can run." With that, Mason gripped Corey's hand, disappearing into the night.

Liam heard his friends' steps getting further away, and for a moment, he felt optimistic. Until he reminded of Lydia's grating voice on the phone, the banshee had already screamed, someone's heart is going to stop tonight.

-

Mason and Corey made to their destination without running into any hunters. Once both were safe behind the door, they turned visible again.

As they let go of each other's hands, Corey seemed to be ready to throw up, feeling the anxiety burn in his guts. "So, what's the plan?" He asked, looking as Mason ran his eyes through the labels, looking for something.

Without taking his gaze from the amber-colored bottles, Mason answered. "We need to find Sulfuric Acid and Potassium Permanganate." He waited a few seconds for Corey's reaction, but nothing came.

"I don't get it." He said shyly.

"We'll synthesize Manganese Heptoxide." Mason's voice was high in excitement.

"I still don't get it." Corey shrugged.

Mason smiled kindly. "It's a highly reactive compound that explosively decomposes when in touch with organic materials," His eyes were shining. "The plan is to make a puddle by the door. We'll scape through the window, and the hunters will try to follow. When they step on it, it'll ignite, giving us time to run."

"Oh, my God!" Corey said in awe.

"It probably won't kill anyone, but it will hurt, giving us time to run, and for the Sheriff to get here." 

"Oh, my god!"

"What?" Mason asked, looking back at him.

"You're so hot when you nerd out." The chameleon smiled. Shortening the distance between them with a few steps, Corey kissed his boyfriend and joined the quest.


	3. Wrong guy

Things are too quiet, Liam thinks. He ran through all the school following Theo's scent, and so far, he hadn't found a single hunter. Liam stood outside the door to the boiler room. The only thing he could hear was one heartbeat, one he knew way too well.

As he entered, his stomach twisted. Theo was hanging from his wrists in one of the pipes, unconscious. He had healing bruises throughout all of his body and dried blood on his wet clothes and face. 

Liam's limbs felt numb, but he rushed to set the Chimera free. Carefully, he snapped the strings restraining Theo's arms and placed the boy sitting on the ground.

"Theo! Theo, wake up!" His mouth was dry, and every word came out of his lips filled with concern.

-

"Wake up, Theo! We got to go!" Liam's voice was urgent and closer than it has ever been.

Theo blinked, dazed. Every inch of his body ached, and it took a few seconds to remember what happened. As soon as the memories filled his mind, confusion left his body. "What are you doing here?" He said, more harshly than intended. "I thought I said to not look for me."

"Well, you're lucky I don't care about what you say," Liam grumbled. "Besides, you went missing with my mom's car. She would kill me." 

Taking Liam's hand, Theo pulled himself back to his feet, wincing in pain when he felt his still-broken ribs. The discomfort lasted less than a couple of seconds before the wolf took it away. "Thanks."

"Sure." Liam held Theo as the boy struggled to stay standing. "So, how many hunters?"

"I counted ten, but I took six down."

"I'm impressed." Liam's side-smile was kind, almost pleased.

Theo recognized his words coming out of Liam's lips, and as he remembered that day at the zoo, warmth softened his heart.

Something caught Theo's attention on his peripheral sight, and he signaled to Liam an armed guy coming into the room. "Do I need to punch you in the face, or are you good to go?"

"Oh, trust me, I'm mad!" Liam growled, eyes flashing yellow. 

The hunter stopped, his face twisted in confusion as he spotted them both where it was supposed to be just one. "What-?" But before he could finish the sentence, Liam had jumped at him snarling.

"You just pissed the wrong guy," Theo said with his face brightening up in a smile.


	4. Run?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick update to get in the mood for the Teen Wolf Reunion tomorrow! Yay. Hope you like it!

"I thought you said ten hunters!" Liam yelled while fighting two at once.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I couldn't count while unconscious!" Theo knocked one out and went to help Liam, bringing the last two down. They made a pretty good team.

"Stop milking that already." Liam smiled and rolled his eyes in fake annoyance. "Let's get the hell out of here. My mom made lasagna, and I'm starving."

"Oh, gosh! I love your mom," Theo said, sprinting before Liam, a loose grin lightening his face. 

They were one set of stairs and a long hallway away from the Chemistry Lab when Theo stopped, adjusting his hearing. "Do you hear that?" He asked under his breath. "Sounds like an entire army coming for us."

A frown took over Liam's face. He dropped his head to the side like a confused puppy, trying to tell the sounds apart. "Fifteen, maybe more."

"Run?" Theo asked, hopefully.

Liam nodded vigorously, his blue eyes wide open. "Run!"

And they ran for their lives, trusting that Mason's plan — whichever it was — was going to work. Liam saw the door and aimed for it, but before he could get it open, the first gunshot cut through the air. 

Theo smelled Liam's blood; the scent woke something inside him.

-

The first bullet penetrated Liam's right shoulder, burning everything in the way. Fear washed over him as he remembered that his parents still didn't know he's a werewolf and would spend their lives wondering why their son died. He froze into place, closing his eyes.

Something flew close to his head. Four more shots reverberated through the hall of empty classrooms, none of then hitting him. Liam snarled with a maniac grin on his face as the hunter ran out of bullets. "Well, that's a way to piss a werewolf off."

Fighting the paralyzing fear, Liam opened his bright yellow eyes, expecting to see the shooter. Instead, he met Theo's back throbbing as he panted.

"Liam, run," Theo said, gurgling as he leaned against the wall. The four bullets wounds on his chest started staining his white shirt with bright red blood.

"What the fuck, Theo! I'm not leaving you." Liam freaked out. His gaze jumped from the Chimera to the huntress, trying to figure out what to do. Lastly, he decided to reach out to the boy, supporting him with an arm around his waist.

The woman who shot was looking at them, standing at the other end of the hall. A playful smirk distorted her face, which made Liam's blood boil in rage. 

He thought about all the ways he could kill her, but Theo was starting to fall again, and Liam couldn't leave him behind.

In a moment of good judgment, Liam dragged Theo to the door. Corey opened it, pulling them both inside. As they got in, Mason spilled a green liquid on the floor and ran to the other end of the room with his friends.

The place was tense; they all waiting for something to happen. Everything was quiet, except for Theo's shaky and heavy breathing. He was lying on the ground with Liam by his side, applying pressure to the wounds. "You got to go. They're coming." His voice was wet with blood.

"Shut up! We're not leaving you." Liam said harshly, fighting the tears. _Why do you keep trying to save me?_ The memory crossed his mind. The question was still unanswered. But now wasn't the right time, the hunters were getting closer.

"Corey," Liam shouted. "Help Theo. I'll break the windows so we can run." As he traded places with the chameleon, he swore he could feel Theo's hands trying to hold his arm. 

Watching the blood gush between his fingers, Corey freaked out. "Mase, babe." His voice heavy with panic. "Call Deaton and Melissa. We need to go to the hospital. Now!"


	5. The sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, since Dylan Sprayberry totally ruined Thiam shippers yesterday, I came back with a much-needed dose of fluff and angst.  
> Just ignore what baby dyl said, Thiam is canon.  
> I hope you like it!

"Stop laughing!" Liam hissed. "It's not funny, and they're going to hear us!"

Theo choked, blood painting his lips. "It's kinda funny, though. I'm dying. I'm allowed to laugh at your face." His voice was weak and strangled in pain. Corey and Mason giggled, silently agreeing.

"You're not dying. Shut up, or I'll make you run." Liam gritted his teeth. He was worried about Theo, who seemed to be a pain in the ass even when losing gallons of blood. 

They'd escaped, leaving the hunters behind. And now, were running towards Mason's car. The boy had called Deaton and Melissa; both were waiting for them at the hospital. Liam was carrying Theo bridal style — which is the reason they are all laughing.

"The plan worked." Liam signaled to the school behind them, hearing the sound of something erupting in flames with a low blast. "Let's get out of here and call the Sheriff on the way." Everybody remained in silence until they were inside the car.

Once Mason was driving — frighteningly fast — away from school, they felt some of the tension dissipate. Theo was on the back seat, head over Liam's laps, legs over Corey's.

Looking down at Theo's torso, Liam swallowed in despair. "I can't make it stop. There's so much blood." Black veins crawled over his arms. "There's so much blood."

"It's ok," Theo comforted him with a lie.

Over unshed tears, Liam searched for Theo's eyes. "Why did you do that?"

"I figured your parents would rather you to be the one who's going home tonight." His voice broke towards the end. "And they deserve to know you're a werewolf in a better way than that."

Guilt grew on Liam's chest, suffocating him. He couldn't say anything.

Theo tried to smile, whining in pain. "Besides, your mom made lasagna; you love lasagna." 

Liam giggled sadly, taking some of Theo's pain to himself. "You'll be fine. Just stay with me, please."

-

Theo tried to stay awake, focusing on Liam's voice. But he was getting too tired and too cold. He felt his body shivering, trying to get warm, fighting to heal himself and to stay alive.

His sight wouldn't focus, so he closed his eyes. Flashes of his life with the dread doctors came into his mind. Some loose words, moments he'd rather forget.

_Failure._

It was getting hard to breathe. Theo could feel his lungs flooding with blood. The hardness on his chest announced that soon he wouldn't be able to inhale. _Hemopneumothorax_ , he thought. A fancy word for an unpleasant death. 

Even though he felt like he's drowning, his mouth was dry. He could hear his heart rate spiking up, trying to compensate for the blood loss. Another violent shiver ran through his body. It's so cold. Theo remembered his sister's blue lips as she froze to death.

" _Theeeeeo,_ " Tara called him.

"That's ok. You don't have to stop." He cried.

Darkness was engulfing him. The cold was taking over. 

He felt a drop hit his cheek. And then another one. Slowly, his senses started to come back. Liam's voice, a fragile, hurt, murmur, caught his attention. "Please, stay with me. Wake up."

Theo blinked, confused, awakening to meet the bluest eyes he had ever seen. Even though the orbs were glossy with tears, it seemed like two big windows to a sunny summer sky.

And for a second, he felt the need to live forever to keep seizing the day under his sun — because that's what Liam is, the star who brought light into his life after years in the dark. 

"Thank you." The whisper escaped Theo's cyanotic lips. Lying on his sun's arms, he didn't felt cold anymore. Warmth spread over his body as he dove once again into the darkness.


	6. The moon

"He'll make it." Corey's soft voice broke the silence lingering in the car. He believed it, but the words sounded like a lie hovering over Theo's bloody body.

The statement scratched the back of Liam's mind. He'd zoned out a few seconds ago, when Theo passed out in his lap. "You don't know that." It came out much more harshly than intended, which made the car dive into an awkward kind of quiet.

"If anyone can make it, it's Theo," Mason said, driving as fast as he could.

 _I know_ , Liam thought, but it remained unsaid. He was aware that acknowledging it wouldn't be enough to save Theo's life. The weight of it waved over his head, tying a knot to his throat.

Glancing down, Liam caught sight of Theo. He looked fragile. It enraged Liam's wolf, who was now aching for a bloodbath. Protect wasn't enough. He wanted revenge. Some part of him tried to stay human, but it was hard with his anchor's life escaping between his fingers.

" _That's ok. You don't have to stop._ " Theo's voice wasn't more than a weak cry, but it was enough to awake Liam's human side. The words didn't make sense to anyone in the car, but it played its part to remind Liam to stay grounded.

But the only way Liam could do it was by focusing all his senses in Theo. And it hurts more than he was willing to admit. It may be because he failed to keep him safe — and he's tempted to believe it's just that — but the truth is that he's terrified that every heartbeat he hears could be the last one.

The thought of going home alone tonight haunts him, and before he can notice, he's crying. "We still need you. I need you. Please, wake up." Liam's voice found its way out in a murmur. He could feel his friend's gaze over him, both too polite to say something.

One teardrop fell, and then the other, landing on a kiss across Theo's cheeks. "Please, stay with me. Wake up," Liam cried once more, struggling to be heard. And this time, it worked.

Theo blinked and then stared. Liam's heart skips a beat under that gaze. The once bright sea-green eyes were now in a greyish tone, it reminded Liam of one of those cold night skies when all he could see was the full moon.

And somehow, it felt like it. Like Theo was his moon. Except that he doesn't affect his wolf side, instead, he brings his humanity to the surface, casting his light when things get too hard to handle.

"Thank you," Theo says when Liam is the one who should be thanking him, and he's about to when the chimera closes his eyes again.

Liam feels his skin burning against Theo's cold body. But the heat isn't just exterior, something inside him has ignited and is slowly consuming the walls he'd built to hide his feelings.

The car stopped suddenly, taking Liam out of his trance. He looked through the window in time to see Deaton and Melissa rushing towards them.

As they opened the door and secured Theo inside the building, Liam found the strength to say something. "You'll make it." This time conviction filled his voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took longer than I wanted to update this, and when I do it's a small chapter, but this one is my favorite one so far, so let me know what you guys think!!


	7. The truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here! I'm so sorry it took that long, though. Hope you enjoy!

"I should be in there with him," Liam said, pacing in the hospital hallway, trying to overhear what was happening inside the improvised operation room Melissa had prepared. "I should-" he tried to say as his voice broke.

Mason and Corey were by his side in a second, hauling him back to the corner where they had been waiting for the past hour as Deaton and Melissa worked to save Theo's life.

Liam looked up to his friends, eyes wet with tears. "It's not fair... It's not-"

"Liam, he knows you're here." Mason tried, pain aching in his chest as he tried to calm the young wolf down.

It didn't make a difference, though. "Theo saved me, now he's dying, and I'm here, doing nothing," Liam said in an exasperated tone, voice growing in a suffocated roar as he slowly shifted, glowing yellow eyes shining in the dark corridor.

Corey hushed to stay between Liam and Mason, protecting his boyfriend instinctively, even though he wouldn't stand a chance. "Liam," he said tentatively. "You need to calm down, try to find your anchor."

And Liam knew it was true, but how could he calm down when his anchor was dying in the room he wasn't allowed to get in. He closed his eyes, pretending it was just another night in his room when he searched for the soft thuds of Theo's heart next door.

What he heard, instead, was the cacophony of sounds the heart monitor was making, the screeches getting more and more constants as Theo's blood pressure dropped. He was dying.

"Liam-" this time, the voice wasn't Mason's or Corey's. It came from the operation room; in the cried voice of a dying man. "Liam..."

"Theo!" Liam shouted, escaping from his friends' grip and slamming the door open to find Theo lying on the table with his chest open, just in time to see his heart beat one last time until it stopped.

Liam froze. He could feel Corey and Mason by his side. He could see Melissa yelling something at him while Deaton raced to get the crash cart, but he couldn't hear it. It felt like his head was underwater, about to explode. He'd lost his anchor.

For one whole minute, he was a mess, as he dropped to the ground and sobbed. For one minute, he was lost, frozen in time and space as life lost its meaning.

One minute.

And then, he heard. The soft thud he'd grown to love and cherish. The one sound in the whole world that could bring peace and calm to his mind even in times of war. Theo's heart was beating again. And Liam could finally breathe.

-

It felt like forever until the operation was over, and Theo was conscious enough to talk to Liam. But the boy never left the room, waiting for when he'd finally wake up.

"Hey," Theo said, voice hoarse.

Liam's stomach dropped like a rollercoaster. "For one minute, I thought that I... That you-" He fought to finish the sentence, but the idea of losing Theo was just too painful to say out loud.

Theo's eyes were tired, his skin pale, and he looked way more dead than alive. Yet he managed to smirk playfully at the sight of a worrying Liam, teeth covered in blood and his voice no more than a cry. "I'm still not dying for you, little wolf."

This time, Liam smiled at how things had changed in a few months. Different from the first time, it was hard to believe it now.

As for Theo, he smiled back, knowing that everything remained the same. The same lie he told that night at this very hospital, the same urge to protect Liam's life, even if it costs his own. " _I love this kid._ " crossed his mind before sleep washed it over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm back, and I'm so sorry it took me this long to update, but I wasn't feeling ok. I've been dealing with depression for the past months, and just now, I feel somewhat like myself again. 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think of this chapter, and I promise I'll be back soon.


End file.
